Agenda item

To submit a report by the Director of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer.

The report of the Director of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer incorporating the Annual Equality Report – 2022/2023 was presented for the Committee’s consideration and scrutiny.

The Portfolio Member for Adult’s Services, in the absence of the Leader of the Council said that under the Equality Act 2010 Statutory Duties (Wales) Regulations 2011, the Council must publish an annual report on equality.  The main purpose of the report is to show how the Council has met its equality duties and the report must be published by 31 March in the year following the reporting period.

The Policy and Welsh Language Manager reported that the Annual Equality Report 2022/2023 is the last report in its current form and new arrangements will be established to coincide with the new Strategic Equality Plan for 2024-2028.

In considering the report the Committee raised the following issues:–

·     Questions were raised as to what extent did the Council fully deliver on its equality objectives and priorities for 2020-2024.  The Policy and Welsh Language Manager responded that the Strategic Equality Plan for 2020-2024 included 20 indicators of what should be expected to be seen when actions are completed.  She noted that 19 of the indicators were completed and one indicator, which is a cause of concern, as regards to the gathering of information on equality characteristics amongst employees of the Council.  She further said that there is a need to strengthen equality within the workforce and additionally across the Island with most equality priorities transferring to the new Strategic Equality Plan for 2024-2028.  The Policy and Welsh Language Manager referred that the current Equality Plan was approved in 2020 and several factors, such as the cost-of-living crisis, has arisen to affect the ability to achieve some of the objectives within the plan.

·     Questions were raised as to the risk to the Council that data gaps persist in the equality information regarding the Council’s employees.  The Policy and Welsh Language Manager responded that gathering information as regards to the Council’s workforce is challenging as it is dependent on staff sharing information voluntarily.  Gathering information from new employees is an easier task as there is an expectation when they fill application forms and also during the induction process that they share equality information.  She said that as part of the risk factors, there is a need to gather as much information as possible from the employees to ensure that the Council is a fair employer and can offer equal opportunities to the staff.  She further said that it is important to convey to the employees is that no inappropriate use of the information will be shared.  However, if the information from employees is not shared, the Council could be prejudicial unknowingly.  Quality data is essential to ensure equality within the workforce and that the Council is an inclusive and appealing employer. 

·     Reference was made to the hybrid working policy and questions were raised as to the effect on staff with criticism and inappropriate/negative comments that has been seen on social media that staff are working from home.   The Chief Executive responded that the staff of the Council work hard for the benefit of the residents of Anglesey and social media has escalated over the last few years with inappropriate comments as regards to several issues.  As a Chief Executive he considered that the Council has benefited from hybrid working arrangement with a work life balance for the benefit of the Council.  Staff are required to work core hours and support is afforded to staff as regards to welfare. The Head of Democracy said that training and counselling are afforded to staff of the Council.

·     Reference was made that the Annual Report notes that robust governance and accountability arrangements will be established for 2024-2028.  Questions were raised as to how these arrangements affect the Council’s future annual equality reports.  The Head of Democracy responded that  a new Strategic Equality Plan for 2024-2028 has recently been approved and arrangement will be made to review the style and format of the Annual Equality Report.  An Internal Group will be convened to lead on the work of the new Strategic Equality Plan with a task as to whether additional information can also be incorporated into the Report.  Additional work will be undertaken with the Communications Teams of the Council to ensure consistencies with other publications as several other strategic plans are currently being published by the Council.

·     Reference was made to Appendix 3 of the Annual Report which states that it is confident that the gender pay gap does not stem from paying men and women differently for the same or equivalent work.  Questions were raised as how assurances can be given that this is the case to safeguard the Council from significant financial consequences as experienced in some local authorities such as Birmingham City Council.  The Chief Executive responded that equal pay claims took a toll on financial resources of Birmingham City Council.  A job evaluation process was undertaken within this Council several years ago when each post was evaluated, reviewed, and scored by an Independent Panel.  He noted that historical single equal pay claims may arise but robust HR policies and pay scales are reviewed on a regular basis with the Trade Unions.

·     Questions were raised as to the response of staff to Welsh language course offered by the Council.  The Policy and Welsh Language Manager responded that discussions as regard to staff training needs are undertaken during the Annual Development Conversation with their Line Managers.   Welsh language skills are also evaluated during the Annual Development Conversation with an opportunity to identify development opportunities.  Data is thereafter gathered by the HR Team and a programme of training is offered to staff.  She further said that there is a good representation from all services of the Council on the Welsh language courses. She further said that there is additional expectation on staff within Social Services, as part of the ‘Mwy na Geiriau’ national framework set by Welsh Government, that people should be able to receive care in their chosen language which can have an impact on the most vulnerable people when Welsh is their first language.  Details on the analysis of the training needs as regards to the Welsh language within the workforce will be included in the Welsh Language Standards Annual Report published in June. 

It was RESOLVED to accept the Annual Equality Report 2022/2023.

ACTION : As noted above.